‘UK PM did not attend’: under-fire Takaichi defends skipping G7 online meeting - South China Morning Post

BloombergPublished: 2:24pm, 6 Oct 2026Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended her absence from a Group of Seven online meeting, responding over social media to some critics who questioned why she did not attend despite her apparently free schedule.“This was a last-minute meeting arranged by the chair, France, and allowed for substitute representatives. I understand that UK Prime Minister Burnham did not attend in person and had someone fill in for him, and that European Council president Costa was also absent,” she posted on Monday evening.

She was at her official residence and was not meeting anyone while the meeting was being held, according to local media.

The post underscores her preference to pore over documents and work solo from home. In late August, the Nikkei newspaper reported that Takaichi had not left her official residence on most weekends and public holidays since becoming prime minister, in comparison to the previous three prime ministers who spent between 3 per cent and 16 per cent of weekends and public holidays entirely at home.